Team 8's Entrance Exam
by OCQueen
Summary: What test did Kurenai's team have to take on their first day as their students? Written because they just as awesome than team 7, and I felt like it.
1. The Entrance Exam

_This__ chapter is dedicated to the first (and only) person to ever put me on author alert, KMT, and the only person to put me on their favorite author list, I'll be your lie. You guys rock!_

_Also, I don't know how to so line breaks, so instead I'm putting BELIEVE IT! In capitals, because that's the way it should always be._

_**Warning: never watch Spanish soap operas. Because they will make you start cracking up at things that are supposed to be sad, like life-threatening diseases, and people will start suspecting you are either a sadist or insane. If you feel the need to watch drama, at least watch something like Gossip Girl or the Secret Life of the American teenager, because they usually don't kill off all the old people and babies.**_

**Oh, and a warning for the fic: there is a teeny bit of language, but if you watch or read Naruto you should already be used to it, shouldn't you?**

_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I do, however, own the skills and tools needed to make tuna salad. Yummy!_

Team 8's Entrance Exam

Hinata sat against a tree at training ground seven, holding a bento box in her lap and waiting for her sensei. Her cousin, Neji, always turned up for team meets an hour early and she had decided to emulate him. Unfortunately, Hinata had not received much sleep the night before thanks to nervous butterflies flittering about in her stomach, so turning up at 5:30 A.M. instead of 6:30 may not have been her brightest idea. The edgy Hyuuga found herself worrying less and less as her drowsiness overcame her and she fell into the world of dreamless sleep.

BELIEVEIT!

Kiba strutted down the street proudly, Akamaru peeking cutely out of his partially unzipped jacket, displaying his Konoha ninja headband and occasionally wolf-whistling at a pretty woman that caught his eye. This was not the smartest thing to do in a hidden village full of ninja, and although he had left the Inuzuka compound perfectly groomed and with thirty minutes to spare before he had to start heading toward the training ground his team was supposed to meet at, the poor boy with no tact ended up running to get there on time without having eaten breakfast.

Kiba arrived panting with his tongue out, wishing he was small enough to sleep in someone's jacket while the person (hopefully female) carried _him_everywhere, only to see a beautiful girl his age sleeping under a tree. Though born without tact, Kiba was a fast learner, and had been taught a valuable lesson that day: a woman's pretty looks does not stop her punches from stinging if you do something to offend her. He walked over to a tree across from her, set Akamaru on his lap to better reach the back of his ears for scratching, and settled down to watch her warily until the rest of his team arrived.

BELIEVEIT!

What he didn't know was that Shino had arrived almost as early as Hinata, decided that her was of passing time was very convenient, and set up a bug up to wake him when he sensed their new sensei's approach. Of course, he wasted no time starting his nap hidden in the trees.

BELIEVEIT!

Three seconds after Kiba's arrival, Shino's scout woke him up. The bug ninja immediately jumped down from the leafy canopy without looking down- unfortunate, since his landing place happened to be three inches from Kiba's nose, startling him and causing his dog to growl menacingly. This growl was not very loud, but it caused Hinata to stir and begin waking up, yawning cutely.

Shino ignored the snowball effect his revealed presence had caused, but gave a teeny inward smile at the bruised ninja's expression. The only kunoichi was completely awake by then, and also noticed these bruises as Shino folded his legs and sat with his back against a tree a few feet away from Kiba.

"A-ano, you are hurt…" she trailed off, concerned. "What happened?"

Kiba grinned and let out a bark of laughter. "Aww, these tiny scrapes? They're nothing; you should see the guy I was fighting with."

Shino lifted a brow disbelievingly but let it go. Hinata just nodded and took out a jar from her pocket, walking over and holding it out to Kiba while blushing a little. "This is a c-cream I usually use, it might help… Kiba." At saying his name she blushed even more, yet smiled as he took it from her and sat between the hooded ninja and the Aburame.

"Thanks," said the boy warily, sniffing the product, then shrugging and lathering it liberally on his cuts. The dog-lover didn't think he had done anything to bother her yet, and decided to trust her for now. Besides, she was offering to help heal his injuries, not create them.

While he was still doing this, Kurenai arrived in the middle of the clearing with a flurry of leaves. "Good morning, today we are going to decide if you are smart enough to train by giving you a written test. You will have to use all the test-taking skills they taught in the academy. Don't forget to read all the directions, and follow them exactly. You have two minutes and this test has 1oo questions, plus two essay questions. I'll wait for you to finish with your wounds, Kiba. How did you get them, anyway?" she asked in a sickeningly sweet way.

"He got in a fight," sad Shino emotionlessly, "Apparently the person he fought is worse off," repeating the excuse Kiba had given them.

"Really?" asked Kurenai. "Because from the way those angry women were chasing you, one of whom was me, by the way, I would have figured you the one worse off. But since I am standing here unscathed while you are putting on a healing lotion, I must be the one worse off!" she finished this with a glare at Kiba for ogling her chest (she hadn't been able to give him one properly while the many other kunoichi had been beating him up).

The young Jiraiya wannabe chuckled nervously and scratched Akamaru behind the ears. He then handed Hinata her cream, which she pocketed with a cursory glance at him to see if it was working yet, proud when she saw the bruises had, miraculously, already faded a little.

The vice president of the 'I hate perverts' club then handed each of them a clipboard with the packet of questions, and one unsharpened pencil. Kiba glanced at the beginning of the first paragraph, which explained how to fill in the bubbles for multiple choice tests and took up one page. He ignored it after the first sentence, and turned the page to start answering questions. The Inuzuka was pleasantly surprised when he found the questions very easy and almost impossible to get wrong, like 'What is your favorite color?' and, 'In your opinion, is school necessary?' The only problem he saw was that they took up 8 pages and he only had a minute and a half left.

BELIEVEIT!

Shino stared at the test for a second and decided to just go through it methodically. Halfway through the first page, he was pleasantly surprised when the instructions stopped in the middle and it said 'Congratulations, you read all the instructions! Don't answer any of the questions, just fold your paper and give it to me.' He glanced at his teammates, wondering why they weren't following the instructions. The mature shinobi then folded his paper and handed it calmly to his red-eyed teacher, who nodded approvingly.

BELIEVEIT!

Hinata looked at the test, waiting for something to happen. A slight breeze came and waved the edges of the first few pages. Hinata eeped, glanced nervously around and decided to start the questions, which began on the second page. Maybe, if she was lucky, they would be easy. 'What is your favorite color?' She should have known better, fate is a sadist and luck is with the Irish.

SUPERAWESOMENINJAPOWERYEAH!

Kiba was confused. He had decided to skim through the pages, and none of the questions were multiple choice. Then why on earth was the whole first page about multiple choice questions? Or was it? The hot ninja (come on, I can refer to him like that ONCE) decided to read the whole first page, and found the hidden instructions. That probably explained why Shino turned his in so early, the smart bastard.

BELIEVEIT!

Hinata started hyperventilating as Kurenai announced that only ten seconds were left and Kiba handed in his folded paper. She hadn't even answered the first question yet! The girl bent her head forward as she decided to skip it and started to write the answer to the second question instead. At least, she tried to. The genjutsu instructor had given out pencils that weren't sharpened! Okay, wait, Shino and Kiba didn't have sharpened pencils either, that could only mean you didn't NEED a pencil for it. Also, Kurenai had said to read ALL the directions. Hinata almost banged her head on the clipboard, she was so stupid! However, she didn't have time for that now.

The now very pale girl turned back to the first page quickly and hurriedly skimmed through it with her byakugan, following the instructions and handing the paper hurriedly to her teacher. Kurenai glanced at her watch, which had gone previously unnoticed by Hinata, and smiled. "One millisecond to spare," she said, holding out a hand for Hinata to hi-five. The no-longer-so-pale kunoichi grew even less pale as her cheeks grew slightly pink ad she lightly tapped her teacher's hand with her much smaller, elegant one.

Kiba jumped up, his fist in the air. "Nothing can stand in the way of team Inuzuka, even a written test!" Hinata glanced confusedly at him. "Team… Inuzuka?" she repeated. "Actually," corrected the Yuuhi, "We're team eight. But yes, I also believe you will grow up to be great ninja." Hinata was so cutely befuddled by then Kurenai couldn't help ruffling her hair as Shino suggested mildly they all go to the local ramen stand.

Next time: what will happen in the ramen stand? Is Naruto there? Why is Hinata so unable to say her favorite color? What the heck is the 'I hate perverts' club, and if she's vice president who's the prez? Will there even be a next time? Finding out the answers these questions all depends on your reviews…


	2. Asuma and Hinata's Favorite Color

Hinata enjoyed the walk to the ramen stand, breathing in the spicy and varied scents that flooded the restaurant-filled street. She saw Chouji in his favorite store and waved shyly at him, pleasantly surprised when he waved back. It was a good day.

BELIEVEIT

Kiba bounced on his toes the whole way to the ramen stand, impatient at having to walk like a civilized human being instead of running ahead with Akamaru like he did when with all his other friends. Stupid Kurenai and her "This is team bonding time, too" looks.

BELIEVEIT

Shino had the usual walk to the ramen stand, drawing of his few but dedicated stalker fan girls with his bugs. He knew he was going to have to talk to his father about getting him an uglier pair of glasses soon, but for now he would enjoy his temporary reprieve from 'subtle' drooling girls following him around everywhere. Maybe Kurenai could help him get rid of them in the future- after all, she had done a pretty good job of subduing Kiba…

BELIEVEIT

Kurenai felt normal for once, walking to a ramen stand instead of using any jutsu to get there. Her first meal with her team was a special occasion, so she did stop on the way in a restroom to freshen up. Nothing to do with her knowledge that Asuma was always there at this time of day. Nope, nothing at all, and if one would insist there _was _a connection, that person should wave to Kurenai- she's outside your window.

BELIEVEIT

Finally, they arrived at the ramen stand!

"Hello, Asuma," said Kurenai enchantingly, nodding her head slightly at the bearded man like a mysterious, alluring kunoichi should.

"Hm? Oh, hey Kurenai. I knew you'd be here at this time, good to see you," he said, seemingly unaffected by her charms. Kurenai was sure he had been taught by his sensei how to resist feminine wiles since he always seemed to react this way. Sigh.

She sat next to him anyway, 'accidentally' hitting him in the face with her arm as she stretched, unused to spending so much time not risking her life in some way or another.

"Ow," he said, rubbing at his cheek.

"Oh sorry, your face must have accidentally hit my arm," said Kurenai sweetly, turning to tell Teuchi her order.

"You should have noticed my face there and moved your arm in time," countered Asuma. "It's understandable you miscalculated though, since they're bigger than when I last saw you."

"What?" gasped Kurenai, ignoring Teuchi. "I'll have you know I have not put on any weight, even though I couldn't train today."

Her students stood bemusedly looking at the two, wondering what the heck was going on with their teacher.

"We should probably sit down," said Shino, taking a seat next to his teacher. After a moment's hesitation Hinata sat down on his other side, while Kiba stared at the couple a few seconds longer before going to sit next to Hinata.

"They're not going to do anything for at least the next half-hour," he confided in her, ordering a bowl for himself and one for Akamaru.

Hinata looked confused. "I don't think they'll argue the whole half-hour," she said softly. "D-don't they need to eat?"

Kiba grinned. Poor, sweet Hinata. He patted her on the head.

"Don't worry, I'm sure Kurenai won't starve," he said, leaving out that he had been referring to the level of pheromones around the two when he said they weren't going to do anything.

"By 'since I last saw you' I meant since we were last seeing each other," said Asuma with a wry grin, putting out his cigarette. "The good old teenage years. Remember those days."

Kurenai flushed. "I remember quite well, thank you," she replied stiffly, finally giving Teuchi an order.

Asuma got up to go. "I'd remember much better myself if those days came back," he whispered inher ear, then walked over to the door in three long strides as Kurenai watched. Strange, she had almost forgotten how tall he was.

And what in the name of Kami did that mean?

BELIEVEIT

"Ready to join the team bonding now?" asked Shino, making Kurenai spin around quickly on her chair.

"Of course," she said, digging into her noodles viciously. She's show Asuma what growing bigger meant. She'd eat until she was a fat, pathetic mess and then hit him in the face with her arm. Yeah, that would show him!

Kurenai had just realized this train of thought made absolutely no sense when she heard a small voice say, "Ano, why was the first question on the test about our favorite colors?"

She finished chewing her mouthful of noodles and leaned a bit back to see Hinata behind Shino.

"You can usually tell a lot about people by their favorite color," she replied. "But that test was basically just a list of the first 100 questions that popped into my head. I got a bit tired near the end and started asking nonsense, to be quite honest." Kurenai hoped to kami they hadn't gotten to the end of the test, where she had finished at three AM with two essay questions: the first to list all the good qualities of Asuma Sarutobi, the second to create a plausible way and reason for killing him.

Hinata nodded.

"So what's your favorite color?" asked Kiba, ordering another bowl for himself, to share with Akamuru this time.

"Um," said Hinata, slowly turning the color of a tomato. "Um- I-I don't-"

And with that, she was off running.

BELIEVEIT

Shino turned his head slowly around to face Kiba.

"Kami, Kiba, you can't just ask people what their favorite color is," he said, a tinge exasperated. "Kurenai _just _said you can tell a lot about people from their favorite color. It's a personal thing."

"So what?" asked Kiba. "My favorite color is dark purple- it's a girly color, what does that say about me! And I'm not ashamed of it!"

"I never said she was ashamed of it, only that it was private," said Shino quietly. "And you just told me how strong your connection is to your mother- that's the color of her lipstick. With Hinata, it's likely to say even more about her since she's such a thoughtful person."

The blood drained from Kiba's face. "I'm not a mama's boy!" he yelled into Shino's face. "I'm just confident enough in my heterosexuality to have a girly favorite color!"

Shino's face (what was visible of it, anyway) looked surprised. "Do you have any idea what you just said?" he asked Kiba.

"It's what my Mom told me to say if anyone made fun of me for being attached to her because I like purple," he replied, before realizing how ironic that was. "What should we do about Hinata?"

"Nothing," replied Shino, paying for his food. "Kurenai went after her when she left."

DON'TBELIEVEIT

Hinata slid to the ground, back against a tree in the first training ground she had come to, breathing heavily.

"Is there anything you want to talk about?" came a voice from beside her, and she struck out automatically with her right hand, which was then caught firmly. She turned her head.

"Hello Kurenai," she said, surprised the boys hadn't followed her.

"There aren't any boys here," said Kurenai, guessing her train of thought. "Are you okay with the question now?"  
Hinata took a deep breath. "I guess so. My favorite color is orange."

"That's a nice color," said Kurenai, revealed of her fear Hinata hadn't said something like 'the color of blood as it forms a pool around my enemy who I have just incapacitated. Victory! Oh, glorious victory!' (She had had a few crazies in her past students.)

"No, it isn't," replied Hinata, tearing up. "It's not elegant and cold an unfeeling and my father will never agree to my liking it, he's so garish in everyone else's eyes but it's just dazzling in mine and I can't do anything about it." With this she collapsed, sobbing, onto Kurenai's shoulder.

"Shh, shh, it's okay," said Kurenai, petting her and unsure whether to point out that she had called orange a 'he' before she realized what Hinata was saying and somehow found the right words.

"No one can tell you what, or who, to love," she said quietly. "You may not be able to wear orange now, or even hang out with another person wearing orange, if it's considered improper. But love isn't all about show and immediate gratification," and here she picked up Hinata's head in her two hands and looked into her eyes. "Sometimes it takes time. A lot of time. But when you grow up, you fight for your independence, and then earn the right to do the things you want. SO don't give up, or feel sad, or embarrassed. Everything will turn out fine." Hinata nodded, wiping her face with her sleeve.

"Ano, can you let go of my face now?" she asked politely, and Kurenai smiled, then ruffled her hair and stood up.

"Whenever you find yourself stuck at home and think there's no way to get orange, just remember- it's the color of the sun, and you are a sunny place," said Kurenai, smiling as she helped Hinata up.**

Hinata nodded. "I need to go home now," she said meekly, and Kurenai smiled, satisfied, as Hinata left.

Suddenly, the smile vanished. "I forgot to pay the bill!"

DELETED SCENE (OMAKE)

Shino turned his head slowly around to face Kiba.

"You did this." It was a statement, not a question.

KIba got off his seat, scrambling away from the ninja who suddenly seemed to loom over him.

"NO! I never meant to- I didn't know!"

"My name is Shino Aburame! You scared Hinata, prepare to die!" roared Shino as a storm of bugs flew out of his sleeves, leaving Kiba a motionless lump on the florr, curled up into a ball.

Kurenai put her arm around his shoulder.

"Have you ever considered joining the 'I hate perverts' club? We get pretty good health benefits," she said conversationally.

"I would never want to join a club that would have me as a member,"** replied Shino, and then walked over to the door and kicked it open, standing there a second, silhouetted by a ray of gleaming sunlight, before walking out.

"What a man," said Ayame dreamily, leaning on her elbow and staring after Shino.

RIPLEY'SBELIEVEITORNOT

*Hinata means sun or a sunny place. I chose the latter here.

**Groucho Marx

I actually added a chapter because I had such wonderful reviews and alerts that though years have passed, I wanted to clear up some questions. I might even add to this again at a different time! I hope you enjoyed.


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